Your Top Seller Isn't On The Sales Team
They don’t carry an individual quota. They don’t have responsibility for a specific territory.
If you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur, or founder with one employee or one hundred, it’s YOU. You carry the whole quota for the territories in the footprint of your business. It might not be your title, but you’re a Sales Rep.
You certainly know you are the leader of your company! I’m framing your role in this particular way to put a specific kind of attention on it.
Here’s the thing…
You’re probably very passionate about the solution you provide, the service you offer, or the unique or superior product you deliver. That’s great! That’s what drove you into this business in the first place. And that passion is a necessary element. But, if you’re not spending a good percentage–and I mean significantly more than half of your time generating revenue, i.e. selling, you don’t have a business. So YOU, Solopreneur-Founder-President-Owner, are a Salesperson.
How do you feel about that?
Most people have opinions about sales and salespeople. Have you noticed that those opinions are never very positive?
Have you ever heard a child dream about growing up to be a Sales Rep? Me neither.
What we have heard…
A good sales rep can sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo
They can sell sand in the desert
Just tells you what you want to hear
Sales reps are snakes in the grass
Watch out!
Do you want to be thought of as a snake in the grass? I sure don’t.
Let me tell you, the above list says nothing about a good salesperson. Those are the actions of con artists. They are examples of self-dealing criminals. They have nothing to do with running a business built for longevity.
But, if this resembles your mindset about selling, in any way, how can you embrace the skillset necessary to do it? Do it well? And do it every day?! Without a positive mindset, you won’t be able to project confidence, expertise, and authority to professionally represent and lead your company. Let alone any others who are selling for you! You won’t be able to find the stamina and motivation for the long haul. And any business without sales revenue isn’t a business. It’s just a pastime. And probably an expensive one!
What’s more, the skillset required to be a true professional in business and sales doesn’t come naturally. The good news is it can be learned. Skills can be gained, practiced and perfected.
A positive mindset about the sales role combined with a strong skillset of real-world methods is where the magic happens!
This is exactly why I built The Trusted Advisor Sales Method—to help business leaders and their teams become the kind of Sales Professionals customers rely on for guidance, turn to for advice and market intelligence, and depend on for their integrity and humanity. Professionals in this program take pride in becoming Trusted Advisors—Consultative sellers with high standards of integrity. That’s a lot more than selling products and services and makes the work more fulfilling and rewarding.
Even better, Snakes don't slither in—they're just not interested in these methods. And that's fine with me!
When you operate as a trusted advisor, you're not only working to win business, you're helping someone make the right decision for their own goals and objectives.
Good sellers move beyond closing transactional sales to opening long-term trusted business partnerships.
Partnerships are a two way street. Benefits go both ways. Simply stated: You provide a solution your client needs; they provide the dollars to keep you operating and doing your thing! When both parties are satisfied it can continue for a good long time.
The next Trusted Advisor Sales Method Group Program begins in September. Enrollment is limited to five participants per cohort. Comment "Keep Me Posted" or drop me a note and I'll make sure you know when registration opens.
All the best!
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